At the crossroads of chemical pathology and bariatrics

Abstract

Obesity afflicts a high number of individuals worldwide. Also, looking further into the local situation in Malta, there are alarming national statistics with regards to Maltese prevalence of obesity. This in turn poses a significant burden on health care given obesity is associated with multiple co-morbidities. Notable examples include type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and sleep apnoea. When dietary, exercise and pharmacological regimes fail, certain patients may meet the criteria for Bariatric surgery which usually encompass those with morbid obesity having a BMI greater or equal to 40kg/m2 or a BMI greater or equal to 35kg/m2 which is medically complicated. Bariatric surgery has the potential to result in remission of type 2 diabetes.